1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a test data generator, test system and method thereof, and more particularly, to a test data generator, test system and method of inserting noise into test data.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional data communication, higher speed data (e.g., being transmitted, being received, etc.) may be forwarded to a data communication system via a higher speed interface (HSI) functional block. In an example, the HSI functional block may be included in a functional block of the data communication system. Alternatively, the HSI functional block may be a single element in the system. In order to assess electrical characteristics of a conventional higher speed data communication system, output signals from the higher speed data communication system may be examined in response to a higher speed test data signal applied through the HSI functional block.
Generally, automatic test equipment (ATE) may be used to test electrical characteristics of a device under test (DUT). Electrical characteristics of the DUT may be assessed by applying a power supply voltage, input signals, and control signals from the ATE to the DUT, and measuring the electrical characteristics of the signals output from the DUT in response to the applied signals.
In order to test a data transmit/receive capability of the HSI functional block included in the DUT by using the ATE, the ATE may generate test data equivalent to “real”, or non-test data, used in the DUT, and may forward the test data to a corresponding HSI functional block of the DUT. However, a speed of the test data generated by the ATE may be relatively limited (e.g., within a range from several hundreds MHz to several GHz). Accordingly, the ATE may not be capable of generating test data at higher data speeds (e.g., of “real” or non-test data, which may be several GHz to several tens GHz).
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional test circuit 100. The test circuit 100 may be used to test a HSI functional block of a DUT. Referring to FIG. 1, the test circuit 100 may include an ATE 110 and an HSI functional block 120.
Referring to FIG. 1, the ATE 110 may transmit lower speed parallel test data T-data (e.g., in a range spanning several hundreds MHz to several GHz) to the HSI functional block 120. The HSI functional block 120 may transform the parallel data T-data into higher speed serial data (e.g., in a range spanning several GHz to several tens GHz) and may forward the higher speed serial data to input terminals Rx1 and Rx2.
Referring to FIG. 1, the HSI functional block 120 may forward data TO-data, which may be processed from the forwarded higher speed serial data received at the terminals Rx1 and Rx2, to the ATE 110. The ATE 110 may evaluate the received data TO-data to verify a function of a receiver unit arranged in a lower portion (e.g., below the dashed line) of the HSI functional block 120 of FIG. 1. However, while the conventional test circuit 100 of FIG. 1 may be capable of evaluating the function of the receiver unit of the HSI functional block 120, the test circuit 100 may not be capable of evaluating or verifying a function of a transmit unit of the HSI functional block 120 (e.g., which may be arranged in an upper portion, or above the dashed line, of the HSI functional block 120).